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| page_title: Test Files - Configuration Language |
| description: >- |
| Learn how to write test files for validating your configuration and modules. |
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| # Test Files |
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| Specific Terraform commands, such as `test`, `init`, and `validate`, load Terraform test files for your configuration. |
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| Test files contain specifications for Terraform test executions. For more information about the Terraform `test` command, refer to [Command: `test`](/terraform/cli/commands/test). For more information about the syntax and Terraform test file language, refer to [Tests](/terraform/language/tests). |
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| ## File Extension |
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| Terraform test files use the file extensions `.tftest.hcl` and `.tftest.json`. |
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| ## Test File Locations |
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| Terraform loads all test files within your root configuration directory. |
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| Terraform also loads the test files within the testing directory. You can override the location of the testing directory by appending the `-test-directory` flag to commands that load test files. The default testing directory is `tests` relative to your configuration directory. |
